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The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803-1842) (about)
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Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article626487
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A shiort Description of the Manners and Cus
toms of the Inhabitants of
TONGATABOO,
Collected from a Person between two and three
Tears resident among them
This island, which is one of the group de- nominated the Friendly Islands, is situated close to Happée (Haapai) and Anamoi, with the inha- bitants of either or both of which they are generally involved in war ; in consequence of which, the population of all the lslands has suffered considerably, and is at present by no means extensive.
Of this island Ducava is acknowledged the principal chief, and is universally reflec- ted as such : but he is not, however, with- out a competitor in the person of a younger brother, who without disputing seems to be vested with the first executive power, and shares his kinsman's dignity.
The subjects of this dingy potentate are admitted to a plurality of wives, though few, if any, extend the license further than a pair ; and this custom appears to be estab lished on a principle of policy, as the number of females exceeds that of the opposite sex in a two-fold proportion, owing to aii unrelaxed depopulation consequent on destructive usages and perpetual warfare. Estranged to any religious sentiment or notion, yet supersti tious prejudices prevail among them in com- mon with the inhabitants of other countries to which the torch of reason has not yet
extended its illuminating ray. Obstinately
refusing to credit the possible existence of any other country than their own, they adopt by common content the strange and ludicrous suppostion that such European visitors as have in too many instances un fortunately touched at their inhospitable spot
have fallen in a state of exile from the . clouds, and still retain the power of exciting thunder. Devoid of every idea that could be productive of a probable inference, they regard a European with a jealous eye, be cause his difference of complexion implies
something preternatural; but as wanton . barbarity and a monstrous plea of necessity are alike admitted in justification of homi- cide, their cannibal voracity, regardless of complexion, reduces all within their power to one unhappy level. To such an excess (as our information declares) do they carry the abominable propensity, that upon every visitation of famine, or extreme scarcity oc casioned by an unfavourable season, they for sake their habitations and fortify themselves in caverns, as the only means of preservation against each other, when in stronger parties prowling at midnight in search of human prey. At such a season none dares to venture out by night alone, less he should behold his friends and family no more : but this is the dernier resort, and is admissîïble only in the last extremity. Upon their prisoners of war they exercise every inhuman torture, and afterwards greedily solace upon the wretched victim ; and frequently even boasted that
those of the Portland's unfortunate crew
whom they treacherously inveigled and murdered on their shore served to assuage their inordinate and cursed appetites. .
The black woman mentioned in Mrs.
Morey's deposition to have escaped the mass facre with herself, was afterwards carried off by the natives of Anamoie.
Their general deportment towards each other is not, however, forbidding or austere.
their sports are athletic, and their persons nervous : they clothe partially, and never appear in a state of perfect nudity, which
would not be permitted by their chiefs ; their war weapons consistt of the bow and arrow, spear and club. Their canoes are numerous ahd variously constructed : those used in the ordinary purposes of ferrying and fishing are small but dexterously ma- naged : and their war boats, which possess much regularity of form, are very large and commodious. One of these we are informed, was launched during the short period of the Union's stay, and was reported to be capable of containing 300 men. The island produces vegetables, yams, cocoa nuts, plantains and bananas in tolerable abundance when favored by the season ; besides which the natives hold in high estimation the flesh of a small sized animal of the dog kind, which many prefer to the finest fish.
When consistent with safety they reside in huts open on one or two sides, and roofed with the plantain leaf lain firmly on cocoa nut branches as rafters : and were they as studious in improving the gifts of nature as their own perfidy of disbosition and manner, no doubt can be entertained that they might have lived a happy people, and maintained to the spot of their nativity an exalted rank among the Friendly Islands.